Tariq Patel is a relatively well-renowned duelist in Ontario. Traveling here from Milton, Ontario, he’s playing a build of Adam Corn’s Monarchs from last week’s US Nationals. “I need to give a shout out,” he announced. “Dan Connel, I’m going to try and succeed where you failed.” You might remember Dan Connel from last year’s Last Chance coverage. The 16 year-old Patel celebrates his 17th birthday tomorrow, and a qualification for the National Championships would be one heck of a birthday present!

His opponent is Dominic Lacaille, a 15 year-old duelist from Montreal. Lacaille is making waves here today with an innovative Samurai build. His secret tech? Rivalry of Warlords, a huge card in the current metagame this weekend.

Game 1

Patel won the roll and opened with a set card to each zone. He set two more cards to his back row and ended. In the draw phase of Lacaille’s first turn Patel flipped Crush Card Virus, tributing his face-down Mask of Darkness! Lacaille lost two copies of The Six Samurai – Irou, and revealed the rest of his cards: Morphing Jar, Heavy Storm, Solemn Judgment, and The Six Samurai – Yaichi.

He activated Heavy Storm, and Patel chained Reckless Greed! He drew two cards, and then lost his set Solemn Judgment. Lacaille set his Solemn, summoned Yaichi, and attacked for 1300 damage. Play was to Patel.

He set a monster, and next turn Lacaille revealed his draw: Six Samurai United. He set it, then set Morphing Jar and ended. Patel was going to attack that Jar and make the most of his Crush Card Virus.

He flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy, then brought another out in defense mode. He activated Soul Exchange next, targeting the Morphing Jar, and Lacaille let it through, deciding not to flip Solemn Judgment. Patel tried to tribute the Jar for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, but Lacaille had saved the Solemn for that. Patel set a spell or trap, his last card, and Lacaille revealed his next draw — Dark Bribe. He set it, then attacked Gravekeeper’s Spy with Yaichi to destroy her. Patel set a spell or trap, Lacaille set one too, and Patel passed.

Lacaille set another spell or trap and Patel passed again. Lacaille was mounting a recovery. Patel drew for his next turn and Lacaille flipped Rivalry of Warlords! That was going to create some serious problems for Patel’s deck, which relied on plenty of monsters with different types.

He pressed on, tributing his Gravekeeper’s Spy for Prime Material Dragon — Lacaille negated it with Solemn Judgment. The duel stood at 2000 life points to 6600 in Patel’s favor, and he special summoned Dark Armed Dragon! He knew what both of Lacaille’s set cards were — Dark Bribe and Six Samurai United, so he blew away both with the Dragon’s effect. One more Dark monster was removed, Yaichi went down, and Dark Armed Dragon attacked directly for game!

Tariq Patel captures the first duel, now just one win away from a spot in the finals and a fifty-fifty shot at qualifying for Nats! After some extensive side decking on both sides, Lacaille began Game 2.

Game 2

He opened with Heavy Storm, The Six Samurai – Zanji, Solemn Judgment, Reinforcement of the Army, Reasoning, and Great Shogun Shien. He set Heavy Storm, summoned Zanji, and ended. Patel did nothing but set a single spell or trap, and Lacaille’s first move next turn was to flip Heavy Storm — it destroyed Patel’s set Solemn Judgment. Reinforcement of the Army got him The Six Samurai – Yaichi, and he summoned him to get to two Samurai. From there he special summoned Shien and started counting damage. With 5600 damage on the field he activated Reasoning: Patel predicted level 4, and after losing Dark Bribe off the top of his deck Lacaille special summoned The Six Samurai – Kamon. The resulting attacks left Patel at just 900 life points.

Patel had been lucky — if another Shien had come off the top instead, it would’ve been game. Lacaille set Solemn and passed with Spirit of the Six Samurai still in his hand.

Next turn Patel activated Soul Exchange, targeting Great Shogun Shien. Lacaille let it go, and when Patel tributed for Mobius the Frost Monarch Lacaille responded with Solemn Judgment. That was enough for Patel, who instantly conceded and moved to side decking!

Dominic Lacaille takes Game 2, pressing this match to a third duel. “If I lose this I have to wait for LCR number 3,” noted Patel. If he lost here, he’d never hear the end of it from Dan Connel. The pressure was on.

Game 3

Patel opened with three set cards in his spell and trap zone, and flipped Royal Oppression in Lacaille’s draw phase. When he summoned Zanji, Patel flipped Bottomless Trap Hole in response. That left Lacaille to just set a single spell or trap card. Patel set two more, Lacaille passed, and Patel set a monster.

Lacaille summoned The Six Samurai – Irou. He special summoned Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, Patel negated and destroyed him with Royal Oppression, and didn’t realize Lacaille would just get to bring him back. He did, and special summoned Grandmaster again. Irou attacked Patel’s face-down monster, Gravekeeper’s Spy, and destroyed her. Grandmaster then made a direct attack, leaving Patel to just set a card to each zone next turn.

Lacaille was holding Cyber Dragon, Great Shogun Shien, Reasoning, and Premature Burial — all potentially dead cards in the face of Oppression. He activated Reasoning, Patel called Level 3, and Lacaille flipped Grandmaster — he couldn’t be summoned. He attacked with Irou, Patel flipped Mirror Force, and Lacaille chained Dark Bribe! Patel chained Solemn Judgment, and Lacaille had no response — Grandmaster and Irou were destroyed by Mirror Force, and Grandmaster was returned to Lacaille’s hand. The duel stood at 2600 to 8000 with Lacaille leading. He passed with one set card in his back row.

Patel summoned Spirit Reaper. It made a direct attack and Lacaille responded with Mirror Force. “Go ahead.” Patel ended, and Lacaille normal summoned The Six Samurai – Kamon! He special summoned Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, and Patel responded with Torrential Tribute to wipe the field — Lacaille hadn’t declared Kamon’s effect with priority. Lacaille took back Irou with Grandmaster’s effect and ended. Had he just cost himself the game?

Patel set a card to each zone. Lacaille special summoned Cyber Dragon, Patel paid for Royal Oppression to negate and destroy it, and Lacaille summoned Irou. He activated Premature Burial, Patel negated it, and Lacaille set a spell or trap. Finding that his draw was no help, Patel conceded moments later.

He gave Lacaille a handshake and wished him luck. Dominic Lacaille moves on to the finals!